


Babylon by Bus

by electric_eel



Series: Babylon By Bus [1]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-02 09:30:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12723996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/electric_eel/pseuds/electric_eel
Summary: She'd planned for everything. But she didn't plan on him.





	1. Chapter 1

Timeline: Pre-Admin fic, First in what will likely be a small series.

Spoilers: Not at this point.. but seriously, we've all seen every episode anyway. So it will be free game as we progress.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. (Seriously. Not even my car.)

XxxxxxxxxxxxX

The rain was falling in sheets, beating against the cheap metal on the roof of the car as the wind whistled through the now empty parking lot. The street light flickered from above, but it went unnoticed.

She sniffed a few times, taking a deep breath in a vain attempt to steady her sobs. It didn't work. She wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks with her gloved hands. She was still bundled up to fight off the cold winter air. Had she looked in the mirror, she would have been shocked at her appearance. She'd lost weight over the last month or so, leaving her already small frame looking particularly frail. She had dark circles under her eyes, which were now puffy and bloodshot from the tears she'd shed. She forced herself to take deep breaths, exhaling a slow, shaky breath. Eventually she checked her watch, realizing she'd been sitting there sobbing for over an hour. Glancing around inside her old Corolla, she took stock of everything she had to her name, packed in the boxes filling her car. It truly felt like she had hit rock bottom.

She dug around in her purse and pulled out her cell phone, calling the only person she knew could get her through this without judgment.

"Donna?" The familiar voice picked up on the first ring.

"Hey," Donna responded meekly, immediately feeling better at the sound of her big sister's voice.

"What's wrong?"

"Who said anything was wrong," Donna hedged.

"Donnatella Katherine, I know you better than that. Spill it."

Donna sighed. There was no use in fighting with her. Leaning back into her seat, Donna sighed, retelling the whole story about how things had fallen apart with her medical student boyfriend Paul. She, at that point, was relieved she'd cried herself out. Her older sister was always her idol, and she didn't want to be the pushover baby of the family any more.

"OK, let's look at this… logically," Donna heard through the other end of the phone. Her sister had never liked Paul, and had vehemently opposed Donna's dropping out of school to take care of his bills, but they'd still been able to stay close. right now, however, Donna was absolutely positive that the indirect response she was receiving was the only way this conversation would end without her sister on the next red eye to Madison to have a word with Paul.

"Weren't you two supposed to leave for some big vacation tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Donna bit her lip against the tears forming once again. "We were supposed to go to St. Thomas in the morning." She let out a self deprecating laugh. "I've been working overtime for months and I can't even get my money back. Sounds about right."

"Why aren't you going?"

"What am I going to do? Just head to an all inclusive romantic resort on my own and sit around for a week feeling sorry for myself?"

"Look, you can't get the money back, right? SO what do you have to lose? Donna, you never take time for yourself. You're young and beautiful and you've spent the last years catering to a man who, for reasons passing my understanding, lets you. Go on the vacation. Relax. Have a one night stand. Act your age for once."

She sighed, knowing that her sister had a valid point. "Do you want to come with me?"

She heard a sigh from the other end of the line. "I wish I could, Donna. I really do- I just, I can't get away right now." There was a slight pause. "Donna, go on the trip. Just enjoy yourself for a week and don't stress out about what a jerk Paul is… and when you get back, what would you think about moving in with me? I mean, it would be a change of scenery and free place to stay. You could go back to school, I could find you a job at my firm. It'd be great."

"I- I don't know…"

"Oh, come on. I miss you, little sister."

A smile crawled across Donna's face for the first time in weeks. "Okay. Yes. I'd like that. I'll see you in ten days."

"Have fun, okay? Live it up and call me if you need anything- even just to talk."

"Thanks," Donna smiled genuinely, feeling much better. "Night."

OoOoOoOoOoO

Donna slept on her friend Stacy's couch that evening, heading to the airport early in the morning to catch her flight to St. Thomas. She was able to get the money back for Paul's airline ticket but everything else was non-refundable. "Here goes," Donna muttered at take off, wondering what the week had in store for her.

Chapter Two

Josh Lyman threw his backpack down in the midst of a pile of old issues of The Post. It had been the day from hell. He was at the end of his patience with Hoynes and everyone else on the staff. Nobody was listening to him. And to top it all off he had to listen to everyone telling him to get a life lately. Why were they all on this kick? So he didn't take vacations- so what?

His parents had been nagging him for grandchildren for a few years but that he could deal with (by way of avoidance, like most other things in his life). But now, he'd been forced to use his vacation days. Senator Hoynes was making sure everyone took time off. Josh was annoyed with the entire process, and planned to hole up in his apartment and just work remotely for a few days. Maybe, and just maybe, he'd even head up to Connecticut for the weekend and visit his parents.

"Yeah," he answered the ringing cell phone without checking the caller ID.

"Charming, Joshua." The familiar voice coming through the end of the line caused Josh to roll his eyes, but ultimately a smirk crossed his face.

"How can I help you, Madeline?" He knew what she wanted. There was really only one thing- she needed to be seen with him for some political pull. Okay, there was another thing she could be calling for. So, two things. He mentally shook his head at their dysfunctional relationship. Not that he'd even classify it as a relationship, really.

"I heard Hoynes gave you the week off. I'm not doing anything… what do you say we get out of town?"

He was taken aback. She wanted to go on vacation with him? That was… so far out of left field. "I… uh…" he stumbled over his words, not really finding himself to be enticed by her offer. He, for the good of society at large, didn't think they should be confined to one hotel room together for the week. "Why?"

She sighed, obviously irritated on the other end of the line. "It's what people do, Josh. God forbid anyone think you have a social life. "Besides, there's a group of people headed to a private estate on Isla de Culebra tomorrow for 4 nights and I think it would be good for both of us if we showed up."

Ah. The root of the issue. Frankly, Josh couldn't care less about his social standing. He had the brain capacity to out think almost anyone in Washington and most everyone knew it, but playing nice with people he wasn't interested in was never his forte. It sounded like hell, honestly. But Mandy went on and on, finally peaking his interest when she mentioned the anticipated company of a Senator who stood in line with Josh's ideals on Medicare reform.

Whatever. If he could get away with working this week and simultaneously get this whole damn town off his back about a vacation, he might as well do it. It was only a few days, how bad could it be?

The next morning Josh hailed a cab and threw his luggage in the trunk, heading to the airport to meet Mandy and crossing his fingers he could get through the week.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

You guys. What am I thinking starting another story!? I've been writing Ballots and Bows and it took a… strange turn. So here I go again with the double story. But I PROMISE to be better about updating this time.


	2. Chapter 2

Josh tapped his foot anxiously, looking out the window onto the tarmac. He was always antsy when he flew, a fact that was sure to drive Mandy quickly insane. Speaking of Mandy, he thought, where in the hell was she? He looked around, craning his neck to see over the seat in front of him. He'd boarded without her when they'd called his row, sure that she was behind him somewhere. They'd agreed to meet on the aircraft and she was always instantly irritable if he called to check on her. Josh sighed, popping two Benadryl in an effort to get some rest and avoid fighting with Mandy in a confined area. He shut his eyes and began to nod off, eventually feeling the movement of the aircraft pulling away from the gate.

A few hours later, he woke up to a pilot's announcement. There was, apparently, some rough weather ahead and they'd need to buckle up to make their initial decent into St. Thomas. Josh muttered something under his breath, hoping they at least wouldn't miss their connecting transportation to their smaller destination island. He was a nervous guy, generally speaking, but the antihistamines had taken the edge off just enough that he wasn't panicking over the anticipated turbulence. He turned to the seat next to him to say something to Mandy and his eyes flew fully open when he realized she wasn't there. Josh blinked a few times, wondering if he were dreaming before the airplane jolted downwards and then back up in an air pocket. One woman let out a gasp and a few small children began to cry as Josh grabbed his arm rests, white knuckled. Definitely not a dream, he thought. After 8 nerve wracking minutes, the aircraft finally touched down on the rainy island.

Josh immediately whipped his cell phone out of his jacket and turned it on, retrieving his voicemails. The first was from Mandy, casually telling him she had a great opportunity pop up and she wouldn't be able to do the vacation. They should be able to refund your ticket, she told him. Maybe she'd call him later this week.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," he muttered. Now here he was, on an island in the middle of the ocean, completely stood up by his would be girlfriend. He muttered a few choice words about the situation under his breath and stomped off the aircraft, glad he was seating towards the front. Josh walked immediately to the ticketing agent, not even bothering with canceling his connecting transportation.

He'd told the airline representative in a voice that left little room for argument that he needed to be on the next flight to DC, but he was met with bad news. "I'm sorry, sir," he was informed by a man who was trying to keep the façade of a happy employee, "There aren't any available flights for two days. Everything in and out is cancelled due to weather," the man nodded towards the monsoon outside, "and the day after is booked up. "Perhaps I can offer you something the day after tomorrow? In the afternoon?"

Josh almost lost it. He didn't want to sit here for two days! He tried every approach he could think of, speaking to multiple people and different airlines, and was met with the same answer, over and over. Exhausted, angry and at the end of his rope, josh muttered a less than pleasant phrase or two under his breath and walked to collect his bags. He'd have to get a hotel for the night and try this again. But, of course, his baggage was nowhere to be found. It, he was told, made the connection to the next island without him.

"Great," he said through gritted teeth. "Of course it did."

Realizing he was truly stuck, he wandered to the taxi stand, jotting down the name of a nice looking hotel from an advertisement on the way. He stood, umbrella-less, right at the edge of the awning at the airport's exit. As the crowd moved, Josh was bumped into the rain, just in time for a cab to squeal to a stop at the curb, dousing him with water that was flooding the streets. Josh looked, and felt, as though he'd been swimming. Resigning himself to the fact this was, in fact, one of the worst days he'd had in years, he threw his backpack into the cab and sat down, giving the driver the address of the hotel. He just wanted a hot shower and some sleep. He'd figure out how to get back to DC later.

After a 20 minute cab ride that was making Josh slowly but surely carsick, they arrived at the resort. It was clearly well kept and looked to be top of the line. Josh thought his luck may finally be changing. He handed the driver a few damp bills and got out, but not before catching his arm on the door frame of the rusty old cab, ripping his suit and gashing his forearm. Josh set his jaw and ignored it, walking into the hotel without stopping to care about the river of water that he was tracking in behind him.

"I need a room," he said without preamble, fishing his credit card out of his wallet. "Two nights."

"Do you have a reservation, sir?"

Josh set his jaw and glared at the front desk attendant. "No."

"Ah, well, we are quite full this week," the man in the floral print shirt informed him, "but let me see if I can find you something." The attendant clicked around on his computer for a few minutes as Josh impatiently tapped the edge of his American Express on the counter. "Yes, here we are sir," the man, who's nametag read Ron, began with a smile. "We have one room left. The honeymoon suite."

"Jesus Christ," Josh muttered, cutting Ron off before he could list the amenities. "I just need a bed- I don't need a honeymoon suite, don't you have… I don't know. Just a roof with a shower."

"Well, sir, we are all booked up but if the suite isn't to your liking I can recommend something at our sister property on the other side of the island."

"NO," Josh almost screamed. "Just give me the room," he practically shoved the credit card into the man's hand, signing everything without preamble and almost wadding up the brochure of included amenities that Ron handed him, and stormed off towards the elevators.

"Enjoy your stay, sir," Ron shouted after him, "And welcome to Charlotte Amalie."

OoooooooooooooooooooooooO

Donna wandered lazily down the hallway towards her room. She'd arrived in Charlotte Amalie the night before, settling into her tiny resort- view room and wandering around getting a lay of the land. It had rained all day, ruining the fun of the beach goers, but it didn't dampen Donna's mood any. She was glad for a change of scenery and a quiet day to herself. Upon arrival her sister had set up a full spa day as a pick me up gift, and Donna had selected to use all of the services today. She may as well spend the day inside when the weather was less than idea. After a manicure, pedicure, facial, massage and waxing, she felt refreshed and relaxed and she knew she looked like a million bucks. "Act your age and live a little," the card from her sister had said. Donna wasn't so sure about that but, well, at least she looked the part now. Rounding the corner by the elevators, Donna couldn't help but to stare at the man in the hall.

Whatever the opposite of relaxed was, Donna thought, this man embodied it. He was drenched, he was muddy, and he was shouting at the locked door. She approached him quietly, intending to wander by, when she realized that the source of the borderline yelling appeared to be an uncooperative key card.

The man, completely oblivious to Donna, inserted and removed the card in a flash, receiving a red light and a still locked handle every time. He'd tried it about 4 times in the 30 seconds Donna had been watching. She bit her lip, stifling a laugh, before walking up and removing it from his hand, slowly inserting and removing the card from the lock and opening the door for him.

He furrowed his brow, staring at the now open door. "I get frequent flyer miles every time I swipe it," he quipped, looking up for the first time. And he couldn't believe his eyes. "Hi," he added, as though he was realizing for the first time that he was standing next to a beautiful woman.

"Hello," she told him softly, handing the keycard back to him.

He stood there, gaping at her. He realized he'd had a long, shitty day, but he swore she was glowing.

She bit her lip and shifted a bit, slightly uneasy under his stare.

He cleared his throat, shaking his head a bit. "Um, thanks," he said, taking the key back from her. "I'm Josh, by the way," he gave her a shy smile.

Even though he was a mess at the current moment, it was easy for Donna to see that this was a very good looking man. But, she suddenly remembered, it had been a while since she'd acted flirtatious around anyone. Suddenly unsure of what to say, she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and stepped away from him.

"Donna," she introduced herself, giving him a tiny wave.

"Well, I should, um," he pointed into his room, unsure of what to say to finish his sentence, the rain still dripping from his clothing.

"Right," she nodded. "You need to warm up and get dried off. And be sure to take care of your arm," she nodded towards the torn shirt.

He looked down, as though he'd completely forgotten about the gash from the taxi cab. "Yeah. Thanks. Maybe, uh, maybe I'll see you around, Donna."

"Yeah," she shot him a bright smile. "Maybe you will."

She wandered towards her room, walking backwards for a few paces, before turning around again to head away. What was it about that guy, she wondered, that grabbed her attention so quickly?

Josh stood in the doorway watching her wander away and then for a few minutes after she was out of eye sight.

"You're an idiot," he said to the empty room, wondering what had happened to all the swag he usually carried. It didn't matter though, he decided. Gorgeous woman or not, he just wanted to get off of this island.

He flipped the hot water on in the shower and peeked around the honeymoon suite, rolling his eyes at the rose petals covering the bed he'd be sleeping in alone tonight. But as he waited for room service later in the hotel's terrycloth robe, he found himself wondering again about the blonde from the hallway...

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Okay so I know there's a lot to find out in this one… but at least now you know (kind of) what's going on. I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve. Hah. Thoughts so far? Let me know! J


	3. Chapter 3

Donna had meticulously planned her vacation. She'd read and researched and comparison shopped for prices. She wanted the authentic experiences that the island had to offer and she didn't want to miss a thing. When she'd been planning to vacation with Paul, she knew he wouldn't want to do anything other than hang out in front of the bar at the resort and watch sports, so she'd just planned to fly solo for most of it. That portion of her trip, she thinks, hasn't changed much since their break up. 

Donna spent the morning on a nature hike learning about local birds and foliage. She'd planned to spend the rest of the day by the beach, potentially fitting in a little souvenir shopping during the peak heat of the day. She changed into a hot pink bikini, throwing on a simple sundress as a cover up and wandered towards the pool, book in hand. She decided to swing by the bar for a drink, forgoing one of the hotels reserved cabanas for a more economic approach of a beach towel on the sand. 

"Pina colada, please," Donna requested, leaning against the bar to wait for her overpriced blended beverage. She paged through the new hardback she'd purchased, already most of the way through the book after her flight. 

"Here you are, miss," the bartender handed her a large boozy slush with an extra cherry. "Complements of the gentleman," the bartender nodded to the other side of the tiki. 

Josh sat across the bar, giving her just the tiniest hint of a smile and acknowledgement before staring intently at the napkin where his beer rest. 

She smiled back, immediately wandering over to him. 

"Hello again," she grinned. 

"Hi." He gave her a wry smile. 

"Thanks for the drink," she took a long sip from the brightly colored straw, waiting for him to speak. 

"Well, I figured it was the least I could do after you uh, helped me out last night."

She cocked her head to the side a bit. "Yes, Josh, I'm somewhat of a hotel keycard prodigy."

"Funny," he told her flatly, though she could easily tell he was amused by her. 

She wasn't sure exactly what it was about this man, but she was completely drawn to him. 

"Well, I'll let you get back to your beer and tv," she told him, gathering her things to leave. "You know, there's a tropical island right behind that tv screen. You should check it out," she smirked, walking to the beach and spreading out her towel. But for the life of her, Donna couldn't seem to focus on her book. 

OoooooooO

Josh remained where he was at the bar for the next two hours. He'd nursed a beer and made small talk with the bartender between frustrated calls on his cell to the airlines. He was definitely not going to be able to get off of the island for at least another day or two. 

"I see you've taken my advice to heart and you're really soaking up the island culture," came a gentle voice from behind him. 

He couldn't help the bit of the smile that threatened to cross his face when he turned around to see her. It was unusual for him, he didn't smile much lately. "Hey, maybe I've been out on a walking tour of historic sites and I just got back here."

She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow and stared at him. "But you haven't."

"Hrmpph," he grumbled in general defeat. 

A quick smile quirked across her lips. 

"And I suppose you would know because you've clearly just been dying to talk to me again," he chided. 

Donna rolled her eyes. "I came over to see the bartender. Don't flatter yourself." But truth be told, she did find herself wandering back with the hopes he'd still be right here. 

"Right. Because the drinks just taste better when they're not being delivered to you in a cabana."

"Well I wouldn't know," she retorted. "I'm in the cheap seats. She gestured to her beach towel."

He motioned to the bartender for another round and pulled out the barstool next to him.

She sat without much hesitation, mentally telling herself that this was nothing more than polite conversation. There was no way, Donna thought, that he was interested in her. 

"Well I certainly won't be using the one that comes with my room, so feel free," he told her, a touch of annoyance creeping into his voice at the thought of being stuck here for a few more days. 

"Oh my god," she hopped up, staring at him with borderline disgust. 

His head whipped over to look at her, startled by her sudden movement. 

"The only room that comes with a cabana is the honeymoon suite!" She was whisper yelling but she was definitely getting her point across. "You're on your honeymoon?!"

"No," he almost shouted, not bothering to keep his voice down. He quieted, however, after a few people turned their heads to stare at him. "No, of course I'm not on my honeymoon. God, what kind of a pig do you think I am."

"Okay... well you're obviously here with someone if you're in the honeymoon suite," she came close to stomping her foot from exasperation but stopped herself. 

"Oh, would you sit back down," he leaned back in his chair. "I'm here alone. I was traveling and got stuck here on layover from yesterdays weather and now I can't get off the island." 

She regarded him carefully. "You were traveling alone," she asked skeptically. 

"Yes, for work. And quite alone- I don't even have my damn luggage." 

Donna thought that made sense. It explained the rumpled, day old suit he was sporting. 

"And what about at home?"

"What about it?"

"Are you, you know, alone?"

He slid the designer sunglasses down a bit on his nose and looked at her curiously for a few moments before returning the frames to cover his eyes. "Yeah, Donna. I'm alone." And the sad thing was, Josh thought, was that it was true. 

Carefully, thoughtfully, she sat down again, still staring at the profile of his face, now staring at the bar napkin he was nervously folding. There was something in his voice that made Donna sure he was being sincere. 

"What are you reading?" He asked casually a few moments later, half expecting some mindless romance novel typical of vacationers. He just wanted to fill the silence. 

"Umm," she hesitated, "the new biography on Bobby Kennedy," she blushed slightly, waiting for his comment about how much of a nerd she was. She certainly heard them all the time from Paul. 

"RFK? Really?" His interest was peaked. "You follow politics? Or are you just a history buff?" Josh had no desire to get into the specifics of what he did for a living, but he was always game for discussion. 

"A little of both, I suppose," she told him honestly. "But with the election next year, I'm sure I'll become engrossed in that."

"Oh yeah? Big fan of John Hoynes?" A cocky grin crawled across his face, but it was gone just as quickly. 

"No," she retorted, not having to think twice. 

"No?" He was almost incredulous. 

"No."

"Don't tell me you're a Republican," he groaned. 

"There are plenty of good republicans, Joshua," she reprimanded him. "But no, I'm not."

"So you're a democrat, but you're not behind Hoynes? ...and did you just call me Joshua?" He felt as though he had somehow just lost control of this topic. 

She didn't miss a beat. "Hoynes just doesn't seem like the real thing," she told him. "And yes. That is your name, is it not?" She reached over to plate holding the burger he'd been eating before she arrived and snatched a fry, popping it into her mouth. 

He looked at her for a moment, blinking a few times and trying to take in what had transpired over the past half hour. "What in the hell just happened here," he asked rhetorically. 

She gave him a good natured wack on the arm for his sarcasm. They were both a little bit taken aback, however, when he winced a bit and let out a small, involuntary hiss. 

Furrowing her brow, she looked down to where here hand remained on his arm. "You're bleeding," she noted the tiniest of red spots on his white dress shirt. And then it dawned on her. "Josh! I told you to take care of this cut yesterday. It could get infected or something," she almost scolded. 

Before Josh even knew what was happening Donna had procured a first aid kit from behind the bar and lead him over to a bench outside of the restaurant area. 

"Sit down," she told him, leaving no room for discussion. He did as he was told, watching as she carefully cleaned the gash and placed a small bandage on it. Her touch was so light and so caring that he found himself mesmerized by her. 

"Why didn't you take care of this last night," she asked him, glancing up to meet his gaze. 

"I, uh, I don't like blood," he admitted. 

"All finished," she remarked, "good as new. But don't forget to change the bandages."

He knew the proper next thing to do would be to give her an honest thank you and let her be on her way. But when his mouth opened he was as surprised as anyone by the words that tumbled out. "Have dinner with me." Josh mentally rolled his eyes at the amount of pleading he heard in his own voice. 

She blushed again, and quite frankly he thought it was adorable. "How do you know I don't already have dinner plans," she asked, playing her hand on her hip. 

"Because you've spent the entire day talking to me," he states confidently. “I’d say the odds are pretty good that you’re free this evening.”

Donna looked around, noting for the first time that the sun was sinking low in the sky. She'd lost track of time and she had, in fact, spent her entire afternoon getting to know the curious stranger with the inability to operate a room key. 

She made a show of thinking his offer over. 

"Look, you don't have to get all bent out of shape here, were just two people who don't want to eat alone. That's all. Besides, you’re the one who told me I need some island culture. This is my last night, you better make sure I have a positive experience."

"Kay," she told him, easily. "I'll meet you right here in 45 minutes."

"It's a date," he stated in an odd the cuff way. "Or, erm, not a date, as the case may be."

She said nothing, turning to retreat to her room. This, no matter what Josh said, was not just companionship to fill the silence during a meal. 

OoooooO

45 minutes later Donna returned to the exact spot where she’d agreed to meet Josh. Date or not, Donna had rushed around her hotel room to shower and do her hair, putting on some light makeup and, as much as she hated to admit it, wearing her best bra. There was something about this guy that she liked, and her sister’s words kept ringing in her head. She could do this, right? He was just some guy, it would mean nothing. Besides, she’d always heard that the best way to get over someone was to get under someone else. 

She’d taken one last look in the mirror at herself before leaving her room, taking a deep breath and giving herself a mental pep talk. Rounding the corner of the sidewalk she slowed her stride when she saw him. His back was to her and she almost didn’t recognize him in casual clothing- he had ditched the day old rumpled suit. He was pacing back and forth along the retaining wall, talking animatedly on his cell phone was she approached. She’d only known him for a few hours but she was already fairly certain that this man didn’t stay still for long. It was somehow endearing to her though. 

He finally caught sight of her when she was only a few steps away, his eyes going wide as he stared at her, ending the call and promptly shoving his phone into his pocket. 

“Hey,” she began somewhat nervously, studying his face, now that she was able to see him without the cover of his sunglasses. She was immediately drawn to the way his eyes sparkled with excitement. “You look good,” she told him, more teasing him about his luggage than complementing his change of clothes. 

“So do you. I mean… wow.”

She giggled a bit, just taking the compliment at face value. She stepped closer to him, her arms circling around his neck and Josh froze, his heart beating faster and faster as he gulped. He could smell her immediately, taking in her fresh scent and perhaps a bit of lavender. He wasn’t usually like this with women, so his mind went into double overtime, trying to determine how to react. 

Yank.

He felt her grab something and take a step back from him. 

“You missed something,” she held up the tag she’d just pulled from his collar.

“OH. Oh, right. I, uhm,” he gave a self deprecating grin, glad he hadn’t leaned into kiss her. “I just bought them in the gift shop.” He hooked a thumb over his shoulder to indicate the overpriced boutique where he’d haphazardly pieced together an outfit suitable for a causal dinner. 

“Shall we?” He asked, trying unsuccessfully to shake himself from the overwhelming draw he was feeling towards her.

She nodded and stepped towards the outdoor restaurant, unable to contain the flutter in her stomach as his hand met the small of her back to guide her into the restaurant. She didn’t know much about this man, but she couldn’t wait to find everything out.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

The easy conversation flowed between Josh and Donna over dinner. They discussed a plethora of subjects, but both remained fairly tight lipped on the genetic first date questions. He didn't want to open up about what he did for a living. She didn't want to get into the whole story of Paul. He loved that she wasn't afraid to argue with him on practically any subject, and couldn't get enough of her optimism. She was captivated by his passion- about how his eyes lit up when he spoke and how felt so strongly about the issues he believed in. 

Donna warned herself to keep a safe emotional distance but she the attraction between the two of them was growing stronger by the minute. They'd split a bottle of wine. She'd tried the local catch of the day and she'd laughed when Josh had, sitting on a beach, ordered a steak, giving the waiter incredibly specific instructions on how burnt it should be. 

The restaurant had cleared out around them as Josh swirled the last bit of his wine in his glass, finally taking a long drink before standing and extending his hand to her. "Want to go for a walk?"

She readily agreed and allowed him to help her up, their hands staying clasp for just a moment longer than they needed to be, eventually falling back to their own sides as they walked along the beach under the moonlight. Donna slipped into a light cardigan, strolling along and wondering how it was that she could talk to this man, this stranger, with an ease that had never passed between her and anyone else. 

"So, Donna the Democrat," he smirked at her. "Tell me about growing up in Wisconsin. Did you, I don't know, milk a lot of cows?"

She chuckled, bumping him a bit with her shoulder. "Why? Do you have some kind of farm girl fantasy?"

He laughed, uninhibited. "I'm just curious."

She shrugged a bit. "Well, I only lived there for a few years. After my parents divorced my mom remarried and we moved. But my dad always stayed in Madison, so I went back for school. I was really too young to have many memories of Wisconsin prior to my adult life, but my brothers really missed it. Or at least they missed their hockey leagues," she kid. 

"Ah," he replied. "Big family?"

"Two brothers and a sister. My sister, or I guess step sister if we're being technical, is probably my best friend, too. I idolized her as a kid. She's like, this amazing, strong woman."

"Sounds like a nice family," he said softly, sincerely meaning it. 

"What about you? You mentioned Harvard, did you grow up in Boston."

He shook his head in the dark. "Westport, Connecticut."

"Family?"

"My mom and dad still live there," he told her. "They're active in the community and..."

She waited in the still, watching Josh's ego downshift into a quiet hesitation right before her eyes. 

"...And?" She asked gently, trying to convey that he didn't have to tell her anything if he didn't want to. 

And then, for reasons behind his own understanding, Josh told Donna all about Joanie. He spoke freely for what was maybe the first time. It could have been the fact that he thought he'd never see her after this week, or it could have been the wine talking, but Josh was pretty sure that it was neither of those. He was fairly certain it was this woman. It was her welcoming, nonjudgmental demeanor. It was their connection. 

The next thing Josh realized was that they were sitting on the edge of a beach lounger, tucked away in the complementary cabana that came with his honeymoon suite. 

The linen curtains hanging around them afforded them a bit of privacy, the cabana open in the front. They both looked out over the ocean, watching the occasional other couple pass by, arm in arm, under the full moon. 

He confined to talk, Donna listening closely to not only his words but how he was saying it. It was easy for her to tell that he didn't open up like this very often, and she didn't want to do anything to discourage him from stopping. Her hand eventually found his back and began rubbing soft, slow circles, comforting him. 

His speaking stopped, and she could tell he was done with the subject. 

"Thank you for sharing that with me. For trusting me with that," she told him softly, resting her head on his shoulder. 

He lay back on the chaise, opening his arms to her, and wondering if he was reading this all wrong. He realized, however, that he wasn't as she curled into his side and he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her just a little closer. 

He felt as though he didn't even reOh cognize the man he had become in the last 6 hours. The man he was in her proximity.

"Donna?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you something."

"Of course." He'd been so open with her, she saw no point in holding back now. 

"Why, um, why are you here alone?"

He felt her tense at the question, immediately regretting bringing up what he knew was likely to be a touchy subject. His hand gently caressed her arm. "Nevermind," he delicately recoiled. "You don't have to answer that."

"No, it's okay. I uh, didn't intend to be here alone. It's just that I've been planning this for quite a while and it was non refundable, so when my plans... changed... I just came on my own."

"Breakup?" He thought it was pretty obvious by her dance around the subject that she was supposed to be here with another man. 

"Yeah. But it's fine." She attempted to change the subject. 

"You can talk about it if you want to," he told her. 

"I'd rather not," she admitted, closing that door and opting instead for a peaceful silence. 

"Joshua?" He felt her smile against his chest where she was resting. 

"Hmm?"

"It's Donnatella."

"What?" He lifted his head a bit to look at her, confused. 

"My name. My name is Donnatella. Donna for short. And before you ask, no I have no idea what my mother was thinking."

He lay his head back once again, closing his eyes. "Donnatella," he almost whispered as though he was trying it out. 

The name, which she generally did not use, admit to or enjoy, sounded like music to his ears rolling off of his tongue before they returned to their comfortable quiet, just listening to ocean in the distance. 

"It's getting late," he eventually offered. "We should head back."

She reluctantly agreed, walking slowly towards the hotel lights, pleasantly surprised to find Josh's hand once again finding the small of her back to guide her towards the building. 

Just as they were approaching the property's pool area he stopped again. "Donna?" He questioned, his voice husky, his eyes searching for hers acceptance. 

She met his questioning gaze with an almost imperceptible smile, licking her lips just slightly as he leaned in and met them with his own, giving her a thorough, though surprisingly timid kiss. Her hands ran up his chest to rest around his neck, her fingers finding his curls. He pulled her closer, wrapping one arm around the small of her back to inch her closer, his hand resting on her hip. Eventually, though it was the last thin he wanted to do, he broke the kiss, stoking her cheek with his hand and planting one final small peck on her lips. 

Josh didn't want to push things with her. Though in his mind he'd be an advocate of running up the stairs to his room as quickly as he could to be alone with her, he knew this was something different. She was something different, and he didn't want to be that guy. This may be the only time he ever saw her if he was able to get an afternoon flight the next day, but he decided that was okay. Though it wasn't how he usually though, he knew that he'd rather have one genuine kiss with her than turn it into something she'd regret by making a move. 

They walked silently through the lobby to Donna's room, Josh kissing her again gently on the lips and then the cheek, whispering a faint, "goodnight, Donnatella," into her ear as she let herself into her room and he wandered back to his, a swagger to his step and a smile on his face that had been missing for months.


	5. Chapter 5

Donna sat down on the edge of the queen bed in her hotel room, a small smile lingering on her face. Though completely unexpected, her evening had been amazing. It wasn't the typical awkward encounter that would normally result from an extended duration of close proximity to someone she didn't know very well. It was just... easy. So very easy. 

He'd been so open with her, and Donna could tell that was hard for him. She knew he wasn't just feeding her a line though. Many people had called her naive in her life but something about Josh made her sure he was being genuine. He was just a good guy. She'd wondered if perhaps she'd been misinterpreting his actions all night. She wondered if she'd been sending the wrong signals to him. It had been, after all, several years since Donna had flirted with someone new. Long before Paul. 

But that kiss. Her mind replayed every single moment of the kiss in her head. It wasn't her imagination. There was something there. A spark. No, not just a spark. Something bigger. The end of the night however, sitting in her room alone, was not what she'd wanted. She wanted to go to him. She wished he'd come to her. 

She stood and examined herself in the full length mirror, smoothing out and adjusting her dress a bit, touching up her makeup and fluffing her hair. She then looked at herself and took a deep breath, remembering her sisters words and encouraging herself to be assertive. She didn't need much of a pep talk, however, because she so badly wanted to do this. Before giving herself a chance to become self conscious she strode confidently out of her room and to Josh's honeymoon suite. By the time she stood in front of the door, staring at it somewhat wide eyed, she realized her pulse was pounding and she had butterflies in her stomach. 

She knocked rapidly, suddenly abundantly nervous at the fear of his rejection. 

A brief moment later she heard the locks turn and the door swing open. Josh stood there, clad in only his boxers, a look of pleasant surprise spreading across his face. 

"Hi," he stated, mentally kicking himself for the lame greeting. 

"Hi," she mimicked nervously. 

They both stood their ground, preoccupied with staring at the other, each of them surprised at the situation. 

After a few pounding beats of her heart Donna stepped forward and launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing the air out of his lungs. 

It was a few minutes later when she pulled away, wide eyed, and looked at him lips pink and swollen. Josh had to take a moment to literally catch his breath. 

"Can I come in," she asked playfully. 

He gave her a huge smile, his dimples showing, and she went weak in the knees. He wrapped her up with one arm and pulled her close, moving them into the suite and closing the door behind them. Their lips parted briefly and Josh turned around to latch the locks. 

When he returned his attention to her he leaned in and slowed the pace, kissing her slowly, languidly and savoring every second. Her hands ran up his bare, very well defined chest as his traced her curves to rest on her hips. 

"Josh..." it came out as a throaty question. 

He kissed down her neck to her collar bone and then back up and along her jaw. It was taking all of the self control he hand not to carry her to the bedroom that second, or just ravish her where they were standing. But Josh knew she was getting over a bad breakup and he didn't want to do anything to hurt her. "Are you sure," he asked her, whispering in her ear. 

She ran her foot up the inside of his calf, whispering a gravely "yes, Joshua, I'm sure," and planting a lingering kiss on the corner of his mouth before Josh literally swept her off of her feet and carried her into the bedroom, wasting no time. 

OooooooooO 

Donna lay in the king size four poster bed, tangled in Josh, the sheets wadded and their clothing discarded around the room. Her pulse was beginning to find a normal rhythm again, her brain still somewhat foggy with euphoria. 

That was, she thought to herself, better than she even knew sex could be. All three times. 

She glanced over at her bedmate, who wore a thoroughly satisfied look on his own face as his fingers ran lightly up and down her side. They were both laying on their sides, facing each other, Donna covered in a light sheet. He couldn't stop kissing her, touching her, praising her. And she couldn't get enough of him. 

She watched him closely. Donna always thought the way a man acted after sex was quite telling. Josh was completely attentive. He was still engrossed in her, seeming so content just to lay with her for a while. 

Eventually he lightly kissed her shoulder, whispered that he'd be right back and stood. Donna watched him slip into the other room and reprimanded herself for wanting nothing more than to curl up with this man and stay that was for the rest of the week. But this, she reminded herself, was supposed to be noncommittal. Just sex, right? A one night stand. No phone numbers exchanged, no plans for later, no intimate moments afterwards. She shook her head, trying to set herself straight. Don't get attached. Don't get attached, Don't get attached, Don't get attached, she repeated to herself. 

She sat up, surveying the disheveled hotel room and gathering her things to leave. 

"where are you going?" If she hadn't known the voice belonged to Josh, she never would have guessed it was him by how timid he sounded. 

"Umm," she stopped where she was, nervously tucking her hair behind her ear. She'd been slightly worried that she'd be overstepping to stay with him. She wasn't sure if he was someone who would want his space. No, however, the words to properly convert that thinking escaped her. "I was just going to go.."

"You don't have to," he told her softly. "Please don't leave."

She bit her lip, trying to determine how she could simultaneously crawl back into his arms and stick to her resolution to remain emotionally unattached to him. 

"Josh, I..." she was going to tell him they should just call it a night but the words died on her lips when their eyes met. Without words he was all but begging her to stay. 

She neatly folded her dress and slipped back under the sheets, Josh setting down a bottle of water he'd retrieved for her on her nightstand and joining her in the large, comfortable bed. He clicked the lamp out and lay down down, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. Donna's eyes fluttered closed, loving the feeling of his embrace. He placed a single gentle kiss on her neck and buried his face in her hair. Donna felt Josh relax against her, and it was only another moment before they both drifted into a quiet slumber. 

OooooooO

Donna woke the next morning still curled tightly to Josh, her face snuggled into his chest, his arms wrapped around her. She closed her eyes for another moment, just enjoying the feeling of his body next to hers. He snored lightly and she looked up, unable to suppress the grin that creeped onto her face at the sight of him, sleeping heavily and soundly, mouth partially open and completely content. 

She hated to do it, but she had to go. She lightly kissed his chest and shimmied away from him, trying her best not to wake him. The sudden absence of her presence, however, was immediately noticeable to him. 

"Donna?" He questioned. She stopped moving for a brief moment, not expecting him to wake up. "Where are you going?" He asked groggily for the second time in 12 hours as she slipped back into the night before dress that had been long since discarded into a heap on the floor. 

"Back to my room," she told him glancing over her shoulder at him. 

"Oh." His disappointment was evident. "Do you want to order breakfast first? I'm sure there's a robe in the closet if you..."

"That's sweet of you, Josh, really, but I have plans for today."

"At 9 in the morning?"

She laughed softly. "Well, no, but I want to go for a run first, and then get ready and meet the boat by noon."

His eyebrows shot up immediately. "A run? Where are you going running?" He hadn't seen any jogging trails around the resort. 

She shrugged noncommittally, grabbing by her belongings. "Dunno. Along the road into town I suppose."

He sat bolt upright in bed. "No. No, absolutely not." He shook his head adamantly. 

"Excuse me?" She raised an eyebrow at his protest. 

"Donna. You're a beautiful woman in a strange place. You can't just jog alongside the road! What if something happened? What if someone... you know..." he flipped his hand around in the air, somewhat exasperated, and unable to bring his thoughts to words. "I- I can- I'll go with you."

Behind the man fumbling around Donna saw a sweet gesture for what it was. He was just trying to make sure she was safe- unnecessary or not. "I'll be fine," she assured him. "You have to see the good I people." 

He, however, didn't relent. "You don't know that," he told her somewhat timidly. "Just stay on the property, okay? So at least if you'll be somewhere safe. And if you fall or something you won't just have to rely on some stranger to rescue you."

"And who would I call instead," she almost laughed at his excessive worrying over nothing. 

"Well, me," he told her as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. 

"Josh," she tilted her head to the side to really look at him. "YOU are a stranger. I don't even know your last name."

He looked a little sheepish at that, realizing for the first time that even though he'd shared one of the most emotionally intimate nights of his life with this woman they didn't even know the basics about each other. "Lyman," he told her without hesitation, sprawling across the bed to where she perched, giving her a quick peck on the lips. "My last name is Lyman." And with that he leaned in and softly captured her lips again.


	6. Chapter 6

She couldn't have overlooked him if she'd tried. Donna wandered off of the elevator and into the lobby in search of a cup of coffee. She'd gone on her run, though for reasons surpassing her understanding she'd stayed within the perimeter of the hotel grounds. She wasn't worried about jogging on her own- she, after all, did it every day. But Josh had asked her to stay close so she did, simply because he'd asked her to. She wasn't being subservient, she was respecting his wish. He'd had only the best of intentions in mind. 

But there he was, standing at the check in desk, sporting yesterday's wrinkled khaki shorts and the button up dress shirt from his suit that, at least looked like it had been dry cleaned overnight. His hair was damp and running a bit wild as he talked to the desk agent, signing his name wildly on a slip of paper and tossing the pen back down on the desk. Whatever he was saying, Donna could tell he had complete command of the conversation due to the way the staff was quickly reacting to him. His voice wasn't raised, he wasn't even gesturing wildly, but she could tell he owned the room when he wanted to. She had, at this point, more questions than answers about Josh Lyman. 

She pulled her sunglasses back down and made her way to the garden patio beyond the double doors, grabbing a table out of the way and ordering two cups of coffee. 

It was only a few more moments before she felt his presence standing beside her. She didn't even look up from her book. 

"Donnatella." It was a greeting more than anything, and he said it with such bravado, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet with enthusiasm. She glanced up at him over her sunglasses. Was he always this happy?

He gave her a bright smile and bent down, kissing her swiftly on the cheek before pulling the chair across from her out and taking a seat. He acted like it was the most natural thing in the world, and Donna wasn't at all surprised. 

"What time is your flight," Donna asked. 

Josh groaned, slumping back into his chair. "It's sold out. I'm here for another day."

Donna tried to suppress the little smile that began to form on her lips. "I'm sorry to hear that," she offered, though she obviously wasn't sorry at all. 

Josh didn't even bother to conceal the smirk that crossed his face. "There are worse places to be stuck," he told her, lightly touching his hand to her knee under the table. 

She shrugged playfully, feigning indifference. He could see right through her. 

"Two coffees," the waiter announced his arrival, placing the hot beverages down on the table in front of them. "Anything else?"

"French toast," Josh ordered. "Extra berries and cream anndddd... a side of..."

Donna cut in before he could make a decision, yanking the menu out of his hand. "Two egg white omelettes with tomato, bell pepper and avocado," she told the waiter matter of factly. "And I'll have a side of fruit, he'll have turkey bacon." She handed him the menu and shot him a bright smile. 

Josh, who was gaping at her, was unable to formulate a protest before the waiter left. 

"Close your mouth, you're gawking," she told him, taking a causal sip of her coffee. "You need something substantial and not too sweet. Our snorkel trip leaves at noon."

"You're pretty confident in yourself there, Donnatella," he joked. "Ordering two cups of coffee. Assuming I'm spending the day snorkeling with you?"

"Well, Joshua," she told him matter of factly. "You're here, drinking the coffee, and are you going to tell me that that bag doesn't contain a pair of overpriced board shorts?" She eyed the bag from the hotel gift shop perched beside his chair. 

He laughed whole heartedly. "You have me completely figured out already, don't you?"

"Yes," she smiled. "I'm really quite something."

"Yeah," he leaned in for a quick kiss. "You really are."

OoooooooO

Josh and Donna boarded a boat for their snorkel trip right on time. They'd taken a cab to the busy cruise ship port to meet up with the group, Josh griping most of the time about the inconvenience of having to lug all of their things and themselves twenty minutes away because Donna had found a better price on the excursion on the other side of the island. 

She didn't say much to his protests, keeping unusually quiet on the cab ride. They'd arrived to be handed their gear and boarded the boat, crammed in with the other tourists like sardines. 

Josh was immediately irritable, the yelling kids and their oblivious parents setting him on edge from the start. Josh claimed a seat on the bench in the back, away from as many people as possible. But even there, it was crowded. Donna ended up standing for a moment, her seat quickly being filled by someone's oversized beach bag. Josh opened his mouth to protest on her behalf, but was quickly distracted by the sight of her applying sunscreen to the portions of her body not covered by a tiny blue bikini. 

She was oblivious to Josh's stare as he gaped at her like a goldfish, Donna rubbing the cream into her skin, lightly humming to the Bob Marley song that was playing on the boat's speakers. 

"You missed a spot on tour back. May I?" The sound of a man's voice shocked Josh out of his daydream. 

"Oh, thanks," Donna told a young, handsome member of the crew, stretching to try and see the glob of sunscreen on the back of her shoulder. 

The boat's mate reached out to rub it in, but there was no way Josh Lyman's territorial nature was going to have any of that. "We've got it," he barked, bolting up, positioning himself in a very tight proximity to Donna, his hand finding her shoulder protectively. The man walked away, seemingly unbothered by Josh's outburst. 

Donna raised her eyebrows at him. "What was that," she questioned. 

He furrowed his brow. "What?"

"That. The little machismo showdown. He was just trying to be friendly."

"Donna, he wasn't just trying to be friendly. He was trying to hit on you. He was trying to touch you."

"Mhmmmm..." she placated him. "And what would I do without you to protect me? Because I'm sure you're not just hitting on me," she rolled her eyes. 

"What? No. I'm not. I mean, I am, but-" he paused for a second, trying to carefully piece together the message he was trying to convey to her. "What I meant was-"

"Hush," she told him. "I know what you meant." She held his chin with one hand and gave him a quick peck on the lips before returning to her sunscreen application. Josh returned to his seat before it was taken by someone else, Donna settling herself onto his lap when there was nowhere else available. 

"Sunscreen?" 

He shook his head 'no.'

"Joshua. Put on the sunscreen." She tried to hand him the bottle. 

"I'm fine," he told her. He was trying to appear macho, not wanting to be slathered with the sun cream like the small children all around him. He also didn't really want Donna to move from where she was situated on his lap. 

"You're going to burn." She flipped the cap off the bottle but he shrugged her off. 

"I'll be fine," he told her, not even realizing he was reflexively planting a soft kiss on her shoulder. "I'm quite the outdoorsman, Donnatella," he told her with a grin. 

She rolled her eyes but dropped the subject, opting instead to wrap an arm around Josh's shoulders and enjoy the boat ride. 

Once they'd arrived at the reef, they'd listened to a safety speech and grabbed their gear, jumping into the water to begin their exploration. Donna swam to Josh's side, enjoying the warmth of the water and the quiet tranquility of the reef below as Josh was repeatedly kicked in the face by the fins of the teenage boys swimming in front of him. Flustered, Josh attempted to ignore the chaos around him and focus on Donna, who was enthralled with the sea life. Just as he attempted to calm down, however, his mask was knocked off by a wave and he took a big accident gulp of salt water. 

His head popped above water as he coughed and spat, causing Donna to immediately tread water beside her. "You okay? What happened?"

"I'm fine," Josh repeated through gritted teeth between coughs. "Everything's fine." His voice was strained and Donna could tell he was tense, but just as quickly as he'd stopped swimming he placed his face back into the water and continued to snorkel, this time swimming in the opposite direction. Josh headed for a less popular corner of the small reef, feeling better the farther they swam from the mayhem. 

Donna eventually began to head back to the boat, leisurely following a sea turtle as Josh swam beside her. 

"Ow!" He eventually screamed out, popping his head up as Donna did the same. "What the hell?" He whipped his head around, grabbing his arm. "Shit."

Donna began to swim over to him. 

"Stop!" He told her. "Watch out, I think I got stung by a jellyfish."

Donna looked around, seeing nothing in the water before carefully approaching Josh. She looked at his arm, the marks from the tentacles already puffing up, placing her hand lightly on his elbow and trying to remain calm. "Let's get back to the boat," she told him, swimming the remaining distance back right next to him. 

By the time he was back on the boat Josh's arm was giving him some serious pain. Walking back to the section of seating where his belongings sat, Josh quickly discovered that his towel had been knocked onto the floor, rendering it useless as it was sopping wet. 

"Great," he muttered. "Should have expected that after this disaster of a three hour tour."

Donna ignored the remark the best she could, sitting him down and looking at his arms and chest, both marred with stings from contact with the jellyfish tentacles. 

"Are you having any trouble breathing," she asked, knowing sometimes an allergic reaction could occur. 

"No, just a shitty time on a boat ride," he bit back. 

She didn't acknowledge his response, running around In her beach bag and pulling out her towel and a room key. She scraped the tentacles off of his arm to prevent further stings and the. Gently rinsed the areas off before handing him a towel to him to dry his face and hair. 

"Take this," she told him, procuring a few Tylenol and a bottle of water for him. "I'm going to see if they have any vinegar on board." She then spoke to the captain of the boat and returned with a small bottle of vinegar, telling Josh it would neutralize the sting as she gently dabbed it on. 

"Great. Now I smell like a salad on top of everything else." He leaned back in the seat with a scowl on his face where he remained for the duration of the trip, Donna sitting quietly next to him with a gentle hand on his knee. 

After they pulled into port, as the passengers seated on the bow of the boat began to disembark, Josh looked at Donna. He really watched her. Here, he thought, was this incredible woman whom he'd just met, sitting dutifully beside him as he whined for the entire duration of a snorkel trip she'd been completely excited about. She'd taken care of him and given whatever she could to him to make him comfortable, even at the expense of her own comfort when she'd insisted he keep their dry towel. And beyond that, she'd placed a hand on his knee to calm him- and much to Josh's surprise it had worked. He hadn't meant to be in such a fowl mood. He hadn't meant to show her that part of him and he internally reprimanded himself for doing so. 

"I'm sorry," he offered genuinely. "I didn't mean to ruin your afternoon."

"You know you don't have to be such a crank all the time, Josh." Donna crossed her arms stared at him, giving a full on pout. "I'm sorry today didn't go perfectly for you but I didn't exactly know I'd have company when I booked the trip. I was just looking for something a little less expensive and I really wanted to see the coral reef. But you didn't ruin it," she admitted, relenting a bit. "I just wish you'd had a better time."

"I enjoyed myself," he told her. "I was with you after all." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Now what do you say we go back to the hotel and I kiss that pout right off your face?"

She snaked an arm around his waist, perfectly in step beside him as they strolled back down the pier to catch a cab. "I think that sounds like a great idea."

Unable to wait until they were back at the resort, Josh leaned in and kissed her on the pier, feeling her lips smile against his almost immediately. 

Today was a good day after all, he thought. 

OooooooO

Donna walked Josh back upstairs at the hotel, instructing him to take the hottest shower he could stand and keeping the stings under the water. She knew that would be quite the feat given the sunburn he was sporting. Outdoorsman... right...

Once inside his room he stood in front of her, awkwardly shifting his weight. "You, um, you could... are you going to..."

She laughed softly at him. "Am I going to come back? Yes. I'll come back and check on you. Give me that," she told him, taking his key. "And get in the shower."

He did as he was told while Donna ran down to the lobby for some hydrocortisone creme and then popped by her room to grab a change of clothes. She was just letting herself into his room with the bellman appeared with Josh's lost luggage, handing her the bag and bidding her a good night. 

She knocked softly on the bathroom door, still able to hear the shower running. He called for her to enter, and she hopped up on the counter and let him know his luggage had arrived. 

"How are you feeling," she asked again, swinging her legs from the vanity. 

"I'm okay," he assured her, peeking his head around the shower curtain. "But I'd be better if you joined me in here," he wiggled his eyebrows. 

She gave him a little grin and popped off of the vanity, walking over to give him a soft kiss. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea," she told him. 

His face immediately fell. "Oh," he stated, feeling dejected and licking himself for being an ass on the boat. 

She quickly saw the look of disappointment on his face before he had a chance to hide it. "It's just that you shouldn't elevate your heart rate until we're sure you're not allergic to those jellyfish. And I'm sure you don't feel so well..." she trailed off. 

He studied her face for a moment before extending his hand to her, despite her objections. "Come on," he told her. "I'll be good."

With only a moments hesitation she discarded her cover up and stepped in with him. 

She'd intended to keep things on the up and up, and after one look at his blotchy chest and back she knew he was in pain. Still, she thought, they could have a little fun, right? Donna slowly removed her bikini, Josh's jaw going slack as he watched her, Donna trying her best not to let her insecurities show. 

Josh, for his part, was absolutely certain that she was flawless. "You're... gorgeous," he eventually muttered, causing her to blush from head to toe. 

She closed the distance between them with a quick step forward, kissing him lightly and slowly on the lips before smirking at him mischievously and dropping to her knees. 

"Oh. My. God. Donnnaaa," were the last coherent words she heard from him for quite a while. 

OoooooO 

Donna toweled her hair dry as Josh rummaged through his luggage looking for some loose fitting clothes. He'd ordered room service for dinner, Donna happily agreeing to stay in with him tonight. She too was exhausted to even think about doing anything else. Wrapping a robe around her she wandered into the bedroom and watched him make a giant mess of his already untidily packed suitcase. He finally pulled on the plain undershirt and blue striped boxers he was looking for, leaving everything else in a messy heap as he attempted in vain to get comfortable on the bed. 

"So, Donna the Democrat from Wisconsin," he teased. "How long are you here?"

"Hmm? Oh. Saturday," Donna told him as she picked up a well worn blue tshirt. "I thought you said you went to Harvard," she furrowed her brow, staring at the Yale shirt. 

"I did," he murmured from his spot with his head against the pillows. "I went to law school at Yale," he remarked nonchalantly. "Now c'mere," he held his arm out to her. Donna shrugged quickly out of her robe, tossing the blue shirt, which was several sizes too big, on instead. Curling up easily next to him, she flipped on the tv and found CNN, wanting to catch up on anything she'd missed. Josh seemed pleased with that choice so she left it. 

They watched for a few moments in silence, Josh's fingertips trailing lightly up and down her arm. Donna knew she was failing at her vow to keep this man at a distance. Whatever was growing between them was electric. He was amazing, she thought. Unlike any other man she'd ever met. Sweet, funny, and smart. He was extremely passionate and very well educated. The self doubt inside of her reminded Donna that a Harvard and Yale educated lawyer would probably look down on girl who hasn't finished college. That, coupled with the fact that Josh was trying desperately to get off of the island, reminded Donna that this was just a fling. She promised to keep repeating that to herself. To enjoy it while it lasted, but to remember that it was coming to an end- and that she wasn't go to let a man she'd known for only hours, really, get her ''tis worked up. 

CNN moved their coverage to the current farm subsidies bill and Josh groaned a bit. The bill had been making him miserable before the trip, taking up more time than he wished to spend on it. Hoynes wasn't going to win the rural districts anyway, and Josh wanted to work on issues that he deemed more important. 

"Why are you groaning? This is important," Donna told him, not looking up. 

"It's really not," Josh remarked. 

This caused Donna to sit up a bit, propping herself up on her elbow. The kiss of contact with her body made Josh whine. 

Donna proceeded to outline what she knew about the bill, and why it would benefit family farms. He watched her speak, clearly passionate about the issue, as she outlined the human portion of the bill. She talked about a few people that she grew up with who lived on farms, and about the individual testimonies she'd read on how it would impact farmers and their families. Donna brought the bill to life, taking an angle on it that Josh had never concerned himself with. "And," she added, "I know your favorite guy John Hoynes is voting against it. But that just further proves my point from yesterday. He's not genuine. He won't do things that will help his own constituents just so he can please his biggest donors. And I'm sure he's listening to some Ivy League schmuck in his back room who's never had money problems in his entire life but still... He's just not genuine."

Josh gaped at her, wide eyed and shocked at the verbal slap to the face she didn't even know she'd given him. 

Eventually, when he didn't respond, she looked back at him. "What?" She asked. 

Before he had a chance to take his position and turn himself back into a political operative, they were interrupted by room service and his ringing cellphone. 

She popped up to grab the door and he excused himself to the balcony. 

"Josh Lyman," he answered, watching her move around through the sliding balcony doors. 

"Mr. Lyman, this is Theresa with American Airlines. I'm calling to let you know that we we're able to rebook your ticket for tomorrow mornings flight back to Dulles."

"Tomorrow?" That got his attention. 

"Yes, sir."

He stood where he was, leaning against the balcony, watching Donna in his oversized tshirt shirt with her bare face and air drying curly hair. He thought of her soft touch and her sharp tongue and her gentle compassion for the world. He saw her settle into his bed and reach over, taking a drink of his beer and he knew that this was far from a causal vacation fling for him. 

"Sir? Mr. Lyman?"

"Oh. Yeah, I'm here. Listen, I've had a change of plans. Cancel that flight for tomorrow. I'll take something that departs on Saturday." He smiled at her, her bright eyes catching his gaze through the window. 

He counted their interruption as a blessing a bit later, when he was rolling her words over in his head that night. Maybe she was right, he thought, about everything she'd said about Hoynes. And maybe she was just right for him. 

XxxxxxxxX


	7. Chapter 7

Donna woke the next morning secure in Josh's arms. The sun was just beginning to shine through the curtains but she could already tell it was going to be a gorgeous day. 

"Morning," he muttered, acknowledging that she was awake. 

She shifted slightly, closing her eyes again. "Did I wake you?"

"No," he admitted. "I've just been laying here doing some thinking. 

"Mmm? Bout what?" She half asked, half yawned. 

"Nothing," he brushed her off. "Work stuff." The truth was, however, she'd gotten to him last night about Hoynes. She's was right and he knew it. He wasn't genuine. He wasn't the pilar of modern American politics that Josh wanted him to be- and he never would be. Josh had always known, in the back of his mind, that Hoynes wasn't the guy. But he'd never let himself really think about it. But that had changed. He'd spent the better part of the previous night thinking about. He just didn't know what he was going to do about it yet. "I have big plans for us today, Donnatella," he informed her triumphantly, changing the subject. 

"Oh?" She arched an eyebrow at him curiously. 

"Let's call it a... mulligan," he smirked. "It's all taken care of. Just wear the same thing you wore yesterday. Breakfast will be here shortly," he kissed her quickly. "I have to call and extend my stay."

"Really?" She peeked up a bit at the thought of another full day with Josh. 

"Yeah," he replied sheepishly as he fiddled with the phone, unsure how she would react. "Til Saturday."

She felt the smile creep across her face. Shimmying over closer to where he was perched on the edge of the mattress she wrapped her arms around him and began to plant soft kisses along his spine. "I'm glad," she whispered in his ear. 

"Donna?" His hand found hers, gently stilling her motions. As much as he would have liked his morning to continue the way it was going, he knew he'd quickly lose his nerve if he didn't ask. He stared blankly at a spot on the floor. He'd never been particularly good with anything like this. "I was thinking that you could- well that is if you want to- maybe we could- or you could..."

Her movements had stopped completely, her face still nuzzled into the crook of his neck from behind, as she listened to this otherwise confident man stutter nervously over his words. But when she realized what he was asking her even before he was able to finish his sentence, she couldn't help but to smile against him. "I could what, Josh," she asked playfully. 

"You could... ya know... stay with me?"

She kissed him quickly on the cheek, not making him wait long for a response. "Okay. I'll get my things and bring them over." 

He finally turned to look at her. "Really?" He was wide eyed, almost disbelieving. 

"Really," she assured him, running her hands across his bare chest. "Now, where were we?"

OooooooooO 

The swagger was back in Josh's step as he strolled off of the elevator towards the front desk. 

He worked with the guest relations manager to extend his stay to the necessary length, convincing him in the process to waive any charges for Donna's room. They were, after all, upgrading to a larger room. Proper paperwork signed, he wandered to the front of the lobby to find her waiting by a large bouquet of fresh blooms. 

"Ready?" He asked. 

She smiled at the sound of his voice, turning to face him and linking her arm through his. "Are you going to tell me where we're going yet?"

"Nope," he was practically giddy. "But do you have something to keep the sun away?" She was dressed in her swimsuit, just as he'd instructed her, with a small cover up and some sandals. 

"I have sunscreen... and something tells me you won't put up such a fight today," she shot him a smirk, knowing his back was still a little pink from the prior day's activities. 

"How about..." Josh looked around, trying to come up with an impromptu idea. "...a hat?" He nodded at the oversized, floppy brim beach hat in the window of the gift shop. 

"Oh," she looked at it and bit her lip, knowing full well it was out of her price range. 

"It's okay," he told her sheepishly, looking somewhat like a shy child. "Charge it to the room, I just don't want you to get burnt."

She arched an eyebrow at him in skeptical question, but he ignored it, gently directing her towards the shop, and following a few paces behind. 

She picked up the hat, walking it over to the counter, and signing the slip for the room charge. 

"Shall I wrap it," the clerk asked?

"No, that won't be necessary," Donna explained, picking it up to carry with her beach bag. 

"Well, enjoy your day. Thank you, Mrs..." the saleswoman glanced at her computer for the reservation that the item had been charged to, wishing to call her customer by name. "Mrs. Lyman," the lady smiled. 

Donna stopped where she was standing, only inches away from Josh, feeling all of the sudden uncomfortable. She wasn't sure how he'd react. "Oh, I'm not-" she began to explain reflexively. 

"Come on Mrs. Lyman," he gave her a smirk, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as they walked. "We've got a big day planned."

OoooooooooO 

"You, Joshua Lyman, can certainly bring the woo."

"The woo?"

"The woo."

"You think this is woo?"

"Well, I..."

"You haven't seen woo yet, Donnatella." Josh propped himself up on his elbows to look at her, stretched out on an oversized blanket on the private little beach. He'd chartered a private sailboat for the day, wanting to make up for ruining her fun the previous afternoon. They'd leisurely cruised out to a small, uninhabited island where they'd done a little swimming, some more snorkeling and a whole lot of relaxing on the beach. Donna, who was reading in the shade of her oversized hat, was completely relaxed. 

Josh moved closer to her, resting his hand on her knee. "I'm sorry about yesterday."

She closed her book and looked at him. "Joshua, for the tenth time, stop apologizing to me. You didn't ruin anything yesterday. But today has been amazing, regardless." She rolled onto her side to face him. "You've been amazing."

He kissed her softly, wondering how he was lucky enough to cross paths with her. "We still have a little bit of time before the boat leaves, want to go for a walk?" He stood, extending his hand to help her up. "I think if we round the point over there we can have a clear view of the sunset."

She stood, not letting go of his hand, as they strolled along the waters edge, letting the surf gently sweep over their feet. She paused for a moment, bending down to snatch something out of the surf with her free hand. 

"Sea glass," she showed him the perfectly smooth piece of blue glass, worn down to the size of a coin. "It's the perfect size for a worry stone," she told him, slipping it into his pocket. 

"A worry stone? Did you just make that up?"

"Noooo," she told him playfully. "You keep it in your pocket and when you're worried, you just rub it with your thumb and your anxiety disappears."

"And you put it in my pocket," he noted. "Because you think I'm a person who worries?"

She shot him a look, raising her eyebrows at him. His worry was evident at all times. He just shrugged his shoulders sheepishly, continuing down the beach.

"I think this is the most beautiful place I've ever seen," she told him, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I'd stay here forever if I could."

"On this little island?" He teased her, referring to the tiny uninhabited area where they sat. 

"Yes," she gave as good as she got. "On this very island with no water and electricity. We'll make a little hut and be one with nature," she grinned. 

"I'll catch our dinner from the ocean every night. I told you I'm an outdoorsman."

She couldn't help but to snort with laughter. "We'll starve."

"Hey," he protested. "I can... you know, provide for my woman."

"Oh God, Josh," she groaned. 

"What?" He was sincerely confused. 

"I'm sure you can," she placated him. 

"I'm not doing such a bad job today, is all I'm saying."

"True," she agreed, falling back into their comfortable silence. "Today was actually... well it was pretty much perfect."

"Pretty much? Well the days not over yet Donna."

She chuckled again. "That's not what I meant. This was- you outdid yourself Josh. You didn't need to go to all of this trouble."

"You're worth it," he told her without hesitation. He realized he'd only known her for a few days, but absolutely he was sure he was right about that. 

She bit her lip and looked at the ground, not saying anything in response. Josh didn't pry, he just wrapped her up in his arms and they watched the last pieces of sunlight paint the horizon into a watercolor masterpiece. 

OoooooooooO

They rode back to the pier of the hotel in comfortable silence, Josh and Donna content to listen to the waves crash against the hull of the boat under the starlight. It was a warm, tropical night but they wrapped up in each other anyway, Josh's fingers playing in Donna's hair. 

Something about their last interaction stuck in his mind and bothered him, but he was still trying to work out what the problem was when the boat docked and the crew helped them disembark. 

Donna thanked them over and over for the lovely day, and Josh tipped them generously for the excellent service. 

"Enjoy your stay, Mr. Lyman. Glad we could show you around. You've got a good one there," the Captain told him, motioning to Donna. "Have a nice evening Mrs. Lyman."

This time Donna didn't bother to correct them, she just gave a tender smile as Josh led them down pier towards the beach. 

"Look, someone's having one of those beachside dinners they advertise," Donna remarked, nodding towards the candlelit table set for two near the waters edge. "I read about them in the brochure. I thought that would be..." she trailed off. 

Josh glanced at her and saw her face scrunched up. He cleared his threat. "What if those people having the beach side dinner were us?"

She stopped walking and turned to face him. "Seriously?!"

His eyebrows shot up at her response, unable to read her. "Yes?"

"Josh, that's-" she looked over at the gorgeous setting, and then back to Josh. She was nothing short of startled to see the very real fear of rejection on his face. She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss. "You're very sweet to me," she told him. "Thank you."

Dinner didn't disappoint. The setting was amazing- elegant and romantic, and much to Donna delight the conversation was unparalleled. It was so easy to talk to Josh. She didn't even realize that this element of a relationship was missing before she met him. They bantered away, Donna spouting off trivia and josh gladly sharing any knowledge he could with her on any subject. It was nice, she thought, to be this happy again. 

They'd split a couple bottles of wine, and between Donna's day spent in the sun and Josh's sensitive system they were both having more than a little fun. One the last course was complete they'd grabbed their glasses and retreated to the privacy of the beachfront cabana where they'd first gotten to know each other. They snuggled into a lounger, Josh closing his eyes for a minute, soaking in the sea air. 

"I don't know who he was, Donna, or what he did to you," Josh's voice broke the silence. "But whatever it was, I can tell you that you didn't deserve it." His fingertips traced along her arm. "You don't have to tell me what happened, but I see the way you doubt yourself and I just want you to know that I think you deserve every good thing out there." 

She buried her face into his chest, touched by his words. "How are you single," she asked. 

"That's easy. I'm a dysfunctional, self centered workaholic."

"I think that's just a cover story," she told him. "I mean, look at this vacation. It's every girls dream, right?"

He laughed self deprecatingly. "Maybe. But not with me."

"I thought I was going to get engaged on this trip," she blurted out. "I thought that's what I wanted more than anything. So I worked a second job and planned this amazing trip and..."

He waited patiently for her to continue on her own. 

He could feel her shift to wipe her eyes. "...and, well, needless to say that didn't happen."

"He's an idiot," Josh muttered, only able to bite his tongue for so long. 

"But it's okay," she told him, truly meaning it for the first time since her split with Paul. Even if this vacation had played out like the plan in her head, and it never would have, she couldn't imagine being as happy as she was at the moment with Josh. Things were just so easy with him- she felt so content. 

"Well your vacation isn't over yet, Donnatella," he stated with a certain command to his voice. "You never know what could happen."

She laughed wholeheartedly at his joke, this man that she'd known for only a few days, hours really, opening up to her more than Paul had in years. "Come on. Time for bed," she told him, pulling him to his feet. 

He wandered back to the hotel with her, realizing as he watched her in the moonlight, that he wasn't completely kidding.


	8. Chapter 8

"Ta da!" Donna looked triumphant as Josh closed the door to the cab behind him. 

"Where in the hell are we?" He looked around, unsure of why they'd gotten out of the vehicle which was now racing down the street away from him. 

"The 99 steps," Donna motioned to a run down looking staircase.

"We’re climbing steps?" 

"We are," Donna confirmed. "To Blackbeard's castle."

"Gotta say, Donna, my idea of staying in bed all day is sounding pretty good right now," he teased. 

"...and a rum tasting," she added. 

"Now you're talking." He gave her a full dimpled grin as they started up the stairs. They took their time, mosey along and enjoying the view, Josh silently reminding himself over and over to be a good sport and slow down to her leisurely pace. Donna wanted to take Josh out for a day of exploration during their last day on the island, and he wasn't going to rain on her parade. 

"So Josh, what do you do for fun?"

He laughed a little bit, shooting her a sideways glance. 

"What?" She asked, blushing a bit. "I want to know."

He realized, at that point, they'd sort of jumped in with both feet. Neither had asked the basic questions, they hadn't gradually gotten to learn about what the other one enjoys. They'd just grabbed hands and bared their souls to the other. And Josh sort of like it. He'd never been great at this, and the fact that he was so comfortable around her was not lost on him. But, he supposed, they may have skipped a few steps. And for the first time, maybe ever, he didn't want to miss the little bits and pieces. He wanted to get to know Donna. "Well," he told her, mulling it over a bit, "I work, I guess."

"You work... For fun?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't find a lot of free time. Oh! But I do love baseball. Nothing beats a Mets game."

"Ah, okay, baseball. I can appreciate that."

"What about you?"

"I like to read. And to travel, when I get the opportunity. Hmmm..." she thought over the next question. "Tell me about your best friend."

He laughed a bit. "How do I describe Sam.... he's the best in his field. And he's loyal."

She burst out laughing. 

"What?" He was taken aback at her outburst. Sam truly was his best friend. 

"It's not a job interview, Josh."

"Hey, it's not so easy. Describe your best friend, if you're so good at this." He nudged her playfully with his shoulder. 

"That'd be my sister."

"Ah, yes, the infamous no show sister. Remind me to thank her for freeing up your week," he snaked his arm around her waist, kissing at her neck instead of waiting for a response to the question.

OoooooooO

They'd wandered all over the island and Josh couldn't believe it but he was actually enjoying himself. He'd let his guard down, completely down, for the fist time in years. They'd stopped at a rum distillery tour and had plenty of samples, giving them both some lowered inhibitions. He watched her walk back towards the shady area where he was seated, and he couldn't help but to be mesmerized. This woman was... she was everything he didn't even know he was missing in his life. 

He knew he didn’t want this to end when he boarded his flight back to reality the next day. But he wasn’t exactly sure what to do about it. Truth be told, if she’d asked him to elope last night he probably would have, but in the light of day that wasn’t an option. He was certainly enthralled with this woman, but he had only known her for a few days. He’d been this way before, of course, only for it to fade away. Well, not so much fade as explode in his face. Something about Donna, though, was different, She was sweet and genuine and so unlike the political players he dated in DC. Maybe he could find the real thing with her. He scrubbed his hand over his face, trying to come up with a plan of attack. He’d ask her, he supposed, if she’d like to see him again. Maybe, he thought, she could come to DC with him. Shit. She didn’t know he lived in DC. Didn’t know he was in politics, didn’t know he worked for Hoynes. Great way to start with a woman, he thought, misleading her. But still, he’d work up the nerve and ask her on a date. If he had to, he’d fly to Wisconsin for it, but he hoped she’d be willing to make something work. She had, after all, taken the chance on him this week. He was a master politician, he assured himself, he could find the nerve to ask her to move to DC. He shook his head- on a date. Start with a date. Maybe this weekend… he still had a few days off. He could fly her back with him, buy her a seat on his flight. DC always needed nurses, right? They could be so happy. His daydream kept running away, visions of coming home to her after a long day on the Hill, curling up on the sofa in his apartment…

"I'm hungry," she announced., pulling him back to reality. "And I want to do some shopping." She picked up her bag, fully expecting him to inform her he'd meet her back at the hotel, or that he was staying at the distillery while she wandered about. 

"Kay," he tossed down enough to cover a tip and stood to join her. 

"You're coming?"

"Did you... not want me to?"

"No, it's just... I mean you don't have to go shopping. I'm sure you don't want to go souvenir shopping..."

"Well you're not going alone." He ended the conversation before it began, placing his hand on the small of her back and guiding her to the exit. 

They strolled through the streets of Charlotte Amalie, Donna poking her head into stores here and there to look at locally made goods. Josh picked up a couple postcards, though he had no idea who he’d send them to, a refrigerator magnet for his mother, and two tiny bottles of local rum that read ‘open in case of emergency’ on the bottle.

“Who’s the rum for,” she asked, peeking into his bag.

“One’s for you, I thought you’d think it was funny, and one’s for your sister.”

“My sister?” She stared at him in disbelief. “You bought my sister a tiny bottle of rum.”

“She wont like it?”

“Oh, no,” Donna laughed, “She’ll love it. But… why?”

Josh felt as thought it was obvious- he had to somehow grease the wheels with the sister if this was ever going to work with Donna. She adored her and it couldn’t hurt Josh’s case to win her over.

“I feel like I owe her a thank you for the week. And besides, I feel like I practically know her- she sounds like a fun girl.”

Donna raised a skeptical eyebrow at him. “You don’t even know her name.”

“Clara?” He guessed, panic on his face. “Cora? Cecelia?” 

She rolled her eyes at him, only pretending to be mad, returning her attention to the hand carved bowls in the shop. She had to admit though, he was adorable.

"I'll, uh, be outside when you're done," he announced when she was once again enthralled with a local artisans work, giving her a peck on the cheek. He knew she'd be a while. 

He, however, didn't wait outside. 

Josh slipped next door, making quick work of flagging down a salesperson behind the jewelry counter. "I'd like to see your top of the line loose diamonds, please. Round and Ovals. It'll need to be set so that it can go on a chain. And hurry."

The salesman complied and Josh picked the most perfect stone he could find, paying extra for rush delivery to his hotel by morning and tossing his credit card down without so much as blinking at the price tag, a huge grin covering his face the whole time. 

OooooooO 

Donna left the little shop to find Josh sipping a soda and chatting to an artist with her paintings on display in the street. "Hey," she sidled up next to him, taking a sip of his cold drink when he offered it to her. 

"Hey. This is Maria," Josh introduced them. "I'm going to buy a painting from her. And she told me where to take you for dinner. You're going to love it," Josh shot Donna a full dimpled grin. 

"Oh am I?" Donna was in a playful mood, enjoying seeing Josh truly be himself. 

"You are," he confirmed. "But first you have to pick out the painting I'm going to buy."

"I have to pick it out?" She was startled by him. "Josh I have no idea... I've clearly never seen your home."

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's your pick." He wanted her to like it too, he thought, for when it could become their painting in their home. but he didn't risk saying it out loud. Didn't want to get into all of that right now. He needed to finish composing it all in his head. 

She looked over the watercolors, eventually making her selection. "That was my favorite too," he added. "It looks like the island from yesterday."

She gave him a sweet smile and nodded her head in agreement. She couldn't help it, she was seeing a million scenarios unfold in her mind- and they all included Josh. 

OoooooooooO 

Donna had to admit- she loved the little restaurant that Maria suggested for dinner. Restaurant, however may have been a stretch. They were currently seated next to one another on a seawall eating dinner, plates in their laps as their feet dangled over the beach below. 

“This is amazing,” Josh remarked around a bite of his catch of the day.

“it is,” she nodded. “It’s perfect. Today was… perfect.”

“Oh, yeah?” He shot her a smirk. “An improvement from the ‘pretty much perfect’ of yesterday? Because I have to tell you, Donnatella, I was hellbent on achieving that perfect score.”

“You were, were you?”

“I was. I was planning to take you down to city hall and marry you after dinner. And maybe even get ice cream on the way back to the hotel.”

“Ice cream, huh? You really do pull out all the stops.”

They both laughed nervously. The air was charged, they both felt the connection between them. As much as she’d coaxed herself to begin to let go from a man she’d never wanted to get attached to in the first place, she couldn’t help it.

She sat her plate to the side, enjoying the tropical breeze and the salty air. This was really it- her last night with this incredible man. She’d meant it to be a fling- just a little bit of fun on vacation, but it wasn’t. At least, it wasn’t to her. She’d grown attached to him, as though he understood her in a way that no one ever had before. She was sure she was blowing things out of proportion- sure that he couldn’t possibly feel the same way. It had only been a few days. 

Everyone had always accused Donna of this exact thing- she’d think with her heart and not her head. It’s why she’d dropped out of school to support Paul, why she’d changed majors so many times, why she’d bend over backwards to help a stranger, or stop traffic for a turtle crossing the road. It was, she thought, exactly what she needed to be careful of. She fell too hard too quickly, and she got hurt. She didn’t want to get hurt again- she prayed he wouldn’t hurt her, and that it wasn’t too late for her to chalk this up to a fun week with a sweet, interesting man. She’d wanted to ask him if they could see each other again- stay in touch somehow, but she was afraid she’d come off as naive. That this was just the casual sex she’d chalked it up to at the beginning of the week. 

She was pulled from her thoughts by his touch as he grabbed her hand, standing her up and wrapping her in his arms as they stood in the sand and swayed gently to the music streaming out of the bar across the street. She could obsess about her topsy turvy love life later, she told herself. Right now, she wanted nothing more than to be in the moment with this incredible man.


	9. Chapter 9

Donna stood under the stream of hot water, scrubbing the foamy shampoo lather aggressively into her hair. It was her last day in St. Thomas and no matter how hard she'd tried, she'd started to fall for Josh Lyman. She couldn't help it, there was just something about him- something between them- that she couldn't ignore.

But she had to. She squeezed her eyes closed, scrubbing her scalp harder and harder, forcing herself not to become overly emotional.

'He's probably not even that into you.'

She scrubbed the lather in with all of her might, lost in her thoughts and backing off only when she began to feel pain.

'It was just a hook up for him. He'd never even notice you if you crossed paths in his daily life.'

Maybe Paul was right, she thought. Maybe she wasn't marriage material.

Josh was handsome and funny and clearly very smart- and if Paul had dumped her after she'd dropped out of school to pay his tuition why would Josh be any more interested in her? He could probably have any woman he wanted...

Every possible insecurity rang through her head until Donna was defeated, letting her arms fall as she stood under the water, letting the few tears she could no longer keep at bay rinse away in the shower.

Turning the knob to shut off the water, she reached out and wrapped herself in a large fluffy towel, quietly opening the door and peering around for Josh. When she didn't see him in the bedroom she softly shut the door, picking up the phone to call her sister. She needed some advice. After all, her track record with men lately wasn't exactly something to brag about.

OooooooO

Josh leaned back in the chair on their private balcony. He'd had breakfast delivered while Donna showered, taking receipt of the necklace couriered over from the jeweler at the same time.

He'd flipped the box open and admired his choice, sure that she'd love it too.

It was no secret that he wasn't great with women. He'd always been focused on other things- school or his career- but even when he did become ensorcelled with a woman he usually managed to screw it up somehow. This seemed different to him, though. That somehow this... this thing with Donna was real. It was genuine- she was genuine. She wanted him for him and for the first time, maybe ever, Josh could be himself around her. There was no keeping up appearances or alternate motives on either of their parts. They were just... themselves.

He'd never purchased a diamond for a woman before in any capacity. He was always afraid that even a pair of earrings would somehow convey the wrong message- that he wanted to settle down or get serious. And the thought of any kind of commitment to a woman usually sent him running for the hills. But not this time. It was a necklace, not an formal engagement ring, but Josh knew that the necklace held the promise for what he already saw in her- in them.

He just hoped he wouldn't fail. She deserved everything good that the world had to offer- and Josh was afraid that he would fail miserably at that.

Josh heard the shower turn off and quickly snapped the velvet jewelry case closed, tucking it back into the pocket of his shorts and trying to act casual.

OoooooooO

"It's just- I don't know. He's so... different. He's different than any man I've ever met." Donna but her lip and waited for her sisters response, unconsciously picking at her manicure in the process.

"Well, that's... good." She didn't sound convinced. Long aware of Donna's history with Paul and people generally taking advantage of her good nature, her sister was hesitant to endorse any rash move that would leave Donna once again heartbroken and feeling slighted. "He sounds very sweet, actually. But Donna..." she trailed off.

"I know," Donna said timidly, able to sense the not unjustified skepticism seeping though the phone line. "I just wanted it to be different."

"Well, maybe this is just what you needed. The start of something new. You're a strong, independent woman about to make a fresh start on life. You needed to do something to shift the focus back you and your needs and it sounds like you have. Do something that doesn't revolve around a man, Donna."

"Yeah," Donna replied weakly. An uneasy feeling was beginning to grow in the back of her stomach. She'd wanted for so long to be just like her older sister- beautiful, strong, successful. And this was her chance to really take that to heart and prove to her that she, little Donna, could be a strong woman too. She cleared her throat, giving her voice a false bravado she was surprised she was able to summon. "Yeah. It was sex... it's nothing. It was nothing. A vacation fling."

"Okay. Well I'm glad you had fun. I want all the juicy details. But call me when you get home so we can talk about a few other things too. Love you, Baby Sister."

"Love you, too."

OoooooooO

As he finished his first cup of coffee Josh couldn't help but to wonder what was keeping Donna. He was anxious to spend their last few hours on the island together and to talk about what came next. He stood and stretched, wandering back inside to find the woman he cojuldn't keep off of his mind.

He quietly made his way inside, walking up to the doorframe, where she sat with her back to him, hair still damp, wrapped in a towel on the phone.

He paused for a moment, not meaning to listen in, but he didn't want to interrupt either. What he heard stopped him in his tracks.

"Yeah. It was sex... it's nothing. It was nothing. A vacation fling."

A fling? It was nothing to her? He felt a pinch in his chest, the sting of her words hitting him. Slowly, silently, he backed away, turning and retreating from where she sat before he was noticed.

OoooooooooO

They'd both been abnormally quiet all morning, the constant banter that flowed between them all week coming to a hasty stop as they both moped around the hotel suite gathering their things. Josh had, at one point, decided that he'd had enough of that and that he'd rather enjoy their time together and remember the good about the most amazing week with this incredible woman.

So when they ended up in a sweaty pile of sheets for the second time that morning, all he wanted to do was to please her. Their limbs remained tangled together as he lightly placed kisses along her collar bone. This may have just been casual to her, just a vacation fling as she'd put it, but he still wanted to make sure she knew he already worshiped her. He was sure that she'd have her pick of men- to him, she was flawless, but she seemed somewhat timid and he wanted to make sure that she felt her true value.

"You're incredible," he told her, working his way up her neck and along her jawbone. "You're beautiful, and smart, and amazing. I hope you know that."

Her heart skipped a beat at his words, so sweet and gentle. She'd never had a man worship her like this.

"You deserve someone incredible, Donna. Someone who can give you everything you want." He propped himself up on his elbow and studied her face, watching her smile back at him. He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss.

"Look, I know this probably isn't the week you were planning when you booked this trip, but I can't imagine having a better stay even if everything had gone according to plan. So it my not be the piece of jewelry you were hoping for but I wanted to make sure you left the island with something sparkly nonetheless." He reached over, pulling the box out and handing it to her.

Donna stared at him. "You don't have to..."

He nuzzled into her neck. "Just open it."

She complied and gave him a wide smile. "It's beautiful," she told him honestly, leaning up to kiss him. "You're an amazing man," she stroked the side of his face.

He shifted somewhat nervously under her attention. "May I?" He reached for the necklace and, when Donna nodded her consent, clasp it around her neck. The look on her face was worth every cent he paid for it. He curled up beside her again, holding her close until the last possible second.

Eventually they had to get dressed again, rolling their luggage to the door and loading into the cab, Donna sliding into the middle and resting her head on his shoulder as she nervously chatted all the way to the airport, the tropical landscape whizzing by them one last time. Josh paid the fare and tipped the driver, never letting go of Donna's hand as their bags were turned over to the skycap.

They walked inside, through security and as far as they could before they had to split off.

"Well, here we are," he announced, kicking himself for how lame it sounded. "Nonstop to Chicago is that way. And my gate is over here."

"Yeah," she agreed, looking at her shoes. "So I guess this is it."

He pulled her close, burying his face in her hair to take in her scent one last time. He pulled back every so slightly and cupped her face, pulling her into a passionate kiss and not caring who saw them. "Always remember, Donnatella," he told her in a whisper, "how immeasurably valuable you truly are. And that no matter what happens or where life takes you, there will always be at least one person in this world who loves you." He kissed her softly again, and by the time he pulled away the mask of a master political operative was firmly in place, showing no emotion.

She blinked the tears from her eyes. Did he just say love? Surely he didn't mean it like that, she thought. Donna couldn't tell up from down at the moment.

"I think they're calling our flights," he told her, listening to the announcements rattling through the speakers.

She cleared her throat, trying to pull herself together so that the last thing he saw didn't include her sobbing over him. "Right. Well, we better be off, then," she plastered on a fake smile.

"We'll always have Charlotte Amalie," he joked, making a bad rendition of the famous line and shooting her a full dimpled grin. She couldn't resist it.

"Yes, Rick, we will," she laughed softly.

"Goodbye, Donnatella." He was serious again, finally having no choice but to let go of her hand.

"Goodbye, Joshua."

OooooooooO

She'd promised herself that she wouldn't do this. That she wouldn't get caught up in another man. That she wouldn't fall for him. But what in the hell had he just meant by all of that? She lightly clutched the necklace he did given her. She'd been so shocked by the gift when he'd presented it to her, taken anaconda by the jewelry box she'd smiled when she'd opened it, though, relaxing when she saw the size of the stone and knowing it must have been a fake. She'd never been given jewelry by a man before, and even if it was just some kind of lab made crystal, it was perfect she loved it because it was from him.

Donna leaned her head back on the seat of the aircraft as the flight attendant assisted the man sitting next to her with his carry on luggage, the passengers around her moving about happily while Donna wallowed in her current state of misery.

If only, she thought. If only she'd had the nerve to tell him how she felt. Maybe things would have been different with this guy.

She sighed. But then again, maybe not. Maybe he wasn't really interested in her. Okay, even she knew that wasn't true. There was just something about him. So confident yet so insecure. So full of himself but deep down he was so vulnerable.

She closed her eyes, telling herself not to dwell on the past. And, unfortunately, she reminded herself, her week with Josh Lyman was in the past.

OoooooO

As the other passengers piled onto the aircraft and it became real to him- real that he was headed back to DC without her. He hated it, mentally kicking himself for not being brave enough to tell her how he really felt. He was trying desperately to convince himself everything would be okay. That once he was back in his apartment, thinking clearly, he'd analyze this situation up and down and call her. Tomorrow, perhaps, when they'd both had some time to rest.

He'd just pick up the phone and call information, easy as that. They'd ask for the city, and he'd tell them Madison, Wisconsin, and that he needed a number for a Donnatella...

He furrowed his brow. Donnatella... "Oh, God," he yelped. He'd spent the last day's teasingly calling her Mrs. Lyman and it only now occurred to him... he didn't even know her last name.

He swore he felt a physical jolt in his chest at that realization. He'd never see her again. This was it. His one and only chance. Before Josh could even formulate a cohesive plan his fingers were fumbling with the metal buckle on his seatbelt as he shot up, grabbing his backpack and moving frantically against the flow of traffic in the narrow aisle of the aircraft.

"Sir, you'll have to take your seat," came the annoyed instructions from a flight attendant.

Josh barely heard what she said. He had to get off of this flight. His life was waiting for him at gate 16.

"Sir!" The flight attendant was getting increasingly concerned.

"I- I have something important to do. I- cancel my ticket." Josh maneuvered through the the tightly packed people as though he was swimming upstream, eventually breaking free at the cabin doorway and then taking off at a dead sprint up the jetway, pausing only briefly when he entered the concourse to get his bearings about him before running towards her gate.

"Wait," he yelled in the general direction of the flight bound for Chicago, not caring about the attention he was drawing from strangers, now staring at the desperate man running through the concourse on a mission.

"I have to get on this flight," he painted to the ticket agent.

"I'm sorry, sir, it's too late. It's been cleared for departure."

Josh pleaded with the woman but it was no use, the aircraft had already backed away from the gate. Josh stood at the window and watched the aircraft pick up speed and climb into the clouds, taking her away from him. He muttered a final desperate plea that fate would intervene, but as the aircraft turned into a small speck on the horizon he knew she was gone. Josh felt his heart shatter into a million tiny pieces.

XxxxxxxxxxX

THE END

You guys, I had so much fun with this one. What did you think? I'd love to hear from you! Comments are amazing! They keep me going!

Also, sorry for the delay in this chapter. I meant to publish a while ago but the holidays put a cramp in my style when it comes to writing. Hah In this new year I'm resolving to write more. It's such fun and really quite a good stress reliever- so yay for that!

And, for those of you who are totally hating the ending, remember, this is story 1 of 4. So... don't hate me too much. There will be a follow up one shot (more like an interlude) coming this week and then story 2 following quickly! Hope you'll watch for it if you enjoyed this work!


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